Nebulizer



1966 R. e. CHENEY 3,269,665

NEBULIZER Filed Nov. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 47'TOR/YEY 0, 1966 R. G.CHENEY 3,269,665

NEBULIZER Filed Nov. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WZMW A 'rrrwug y UnitedStates PatentO 3,269,665 NEBULIZER Ralph G. Cheney, 4239 24th Ave. W.,Seattle, Wash. 98199 Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,284 Claims. (Cl.239338) This invention relates to an atomizer or nebulizer of thegeneral character disclosed in my Patent No. 3,069,- 097, issuedDecember 18, 1962. Such nebulizers are used to supply a liquidmedicament in the form of a fog or mist of minute droplets for therelief of bronchial con- -gestion,asthma, and the like, and sometimesare used in hospitals or clinics for administration of antibiotics orother medicaments.

Such nebulizers function by reason of discharge of primary air (ashereinafter defined) from an inner nozzle within a shell, past thedelivery end of a capillary space or tube, the pick-up end whereofcommunicates with a liquid supply space within the shell, the dischargefrom the capillary tube impinging a baffle, such as a ball, that breaksit up into fine droplets, and the primary air directs these droplets outthrough an outer nozzle that projects from the shell, towards which thedischarge is directed, and so into the mouth or nasal passages of theuser. Normally secondary air enters around the outer nozzle, and exitstherefrom with the mist. A closure cap seals the outer end of the outernozzle to prevent spilling when the nebulizer is not in use, but can beremoved and moved aside to permit discharge.

Nebulizers of this general type are commonly molded of plastic. Theymust be cleaned, internally as well as externally, from time to time,hence the several component parts must be readily separable, yet theymust be so formed that when reassembled they will fit accurately, asintended. Some of these component parts are quite small, and whenseparated or while they are being sterilized they can be easily lost,yet by the present invention such parts are anchored or joined toprincipal parts by semiperrnanent connecting means, such as somewhatflexible ribbons of plastic material, whereby the parts can be separatedsufliciently for cleaning, but not ordinarily can they be whollydetachedalthough complete detachment can be etfected by propermanipulation if required.

As part of the structure permitting disassembly and reassembly, yetinsuring accurate relative positioning of parts when assembled, theouter nozzle is formed as a tube that is part of an inner shell andprojects through and in spaced relation to a sleeve of an outer shell,so as to define a secondary air inlet, the tube and sleeve being soformed and interengageable that they are secure against accidentaldisengagement, and will snap into correct assembled relationship, and soremain during use.

The function of the secondary air is to augment the primary gaseousvehicle for the mist droplets, and to direct them through the outernozzle, hence the inner shell is so formed that it will at least divertradially and evenly outwardly infiowing secondary air, and avoidconflict thereof with the counterflowing primary air, and preferablythat it will lead the secondary air to a location adjacent or behind theprimray air discharge and the droplets picked up thereby, beforepermitting the secondary air to mingle with the primary air and to flowin the direction of discharge through the outer nozzle.

These objects, and others that will become apparent hereinafter, areachieved according to the present invention by a structure that issimple and inexpensive.

The nebulizer is shown and described herein in preferred andrepresentative forms, and the novel features and combinationsincorporated therein will be set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view, partly broken away, showing the nebulizerassembled and ready for use.

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FIGURE 2 is an exploded isometric View of the parts that are shownassembled in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the base and associated separate body,disassembled as for cleaning, but still held one to the other.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the assembled nebulizer, with itsclosure cap in place, ready for trans porting, prepared for use.

FIGURE 5 is an axial elevation through the nebulizer, with the closurecap removed but not separated from the shell.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the nebulizer, as seen at the line 66 ofFIGURE 5 FIGURES 7 and 8 are cross sectional views at the respectivelines 77 and 8-8 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view, from aviewpoint removed from that of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 10 is an axial sectional view, similar to FIG- URE 5, of aslightly modified form of the nebulizer.

The nebulizer, as stated above, can be readily molded of plasticmaterial, and will be described as of such material, which has someinherent flexibility and resilience. It comprises an outer shell 1, ofgenerally tubular shape, of transparent plastic. At one end it is formedwith a sleeve 11, which projects within its interior, and which willnormally project exteriorly of the shell 1. At its opposite end theshell 1 is formed for securement toand ready separation from a base 3;for example, these may be complementally threaded, at 10 and at 30. Asealing ring 12 received within a groove in the base that is alignedwith the end of the shell 1 is compressed by screwing home the shellupon the base, which prevents leakage at this point. An inner nozzle 31upstanding centrally of the base directs primary air from an externalsource, such as the hand bulb B secured to the exterior end 32 of nozzle31, with entrained medicament, through the sleeve 11, as will appearmore fully hereinafter.

The reference herein to primary air, delivered at the inner nozzle 31,is to the usual gas employed here, but the term air is to be understoodas including any suitable gas, such as oxygen, oxygen-enriched air,oxygen and helium mixed, Freon, or other gas, supplied under somepressure.

A third principal part is the inner shell 2, which is normally oftransparent plastic. This inner shell is formed with an integral tube 21of a size to fit within the sleeve 11, spaced from the sleeves interiorwall, thereby to define an annular secondary air inlet passage 20. Thetube 21 constitutes an outer nozzle, and preferably terminates somewhatbeyond the outer end of sleeve 11; this spacing between the inlet forsecondary air, at the outer end of sleeve 11, and the outlet for airanddroplets at the outer end of tube 21, avoids conflict between theoppositely moving inlet and outlet airflows.

Liquid stored within the shell 1 will have access, while the nebulizeris being carried, to the air inlet passage 20. That passage issufficiently small that it would be difficult to clean it thoroughlyunless the tube 21 and sleeve 11 can be wholly separated, yet accuracyin their assembled relationship is necessary to proper functioning. Inorder to serve these several needs the shell 1 and its sleeve 11, andthe shell 2 and its tube 21, are interengaged by relative axialmovement, and by means that will insure their interengagement in correctoperative relationship. The exterior of the tube, at widely spacedangular intervals, has axially separated spaced lugs 24 and 25 whichengage the interior wall of sleeve 11 to center the tube within thesleeve. They obstruct the secondary air passage 20 negligibly. Shoulders26 on the tube are located to engage the sleeves inner end, thereby togovern the relative axial position of the two. The interior wall of thesleeve is slightly constricted at 13, and when the tube 21 is pushed toits operative position relative to the sleeve 11, the lugs 24 are solocated that they snap past the constriction at 13. This holds the tubeand sleeve, and the integral inner and outer shells, respectively, incorrect operative relationship, against accidental displacement.

The primary function of the inner shell 2 is to distribute the inflowingsecondary air rather uniformly outwardly so that it will not obstructoutflow of primary air through the outer nozzle 21, until it can bedrawn uniformly inwardly towards the inner nozzle by the discharge fromthe inner nozzle, and will join with that discharge flow. While it hasbeen found to function thus if it is merely flared, as at 22, within theinterior end of sleeve 11, so as to direct the secondary air towards theinterior walls of shell 1, it is preferred that it also include a skirt23 that terminates in the vicinity of the discharge end of the innernozzle 31. So arranged, the secondary air will mingle with the primaryair only as the secondary air is drawn in the same direction as theprimary air, and no counterflow or eddy currents can occur.

The inner nozzle 31, projecting from the base 3 towards the interior ofthe shell 1, and aligned with the outer nozzle 21, is arrangedexteriorly of the base for connection to a source of primary air, asthat term is defined above, under some pressure. As has already beenexplained, its externally projecting end 32 is shown as fitted with ahand bulb B, constituting such a source. Any other suitable source maybe employed.

The space within the shell 1, closed by the base 3, receives a smallamount of liquid. This is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and at L. The liquidcan be introduced through the outer nozzle 21. Within this liquid spaceis accurately located a separate body or assembly that consists of aneduction passage such as a capillary tube 4, a baflle such as the ball40, and supporting structure including a locating ring 43 of a size andshape to fit closely the inwardly projecting discharge end of the innernozzle 31. Located thus, the discharge firom the nozzle 31 passes thedischarge end of capillary tube 4. The pickup end of that tube is in thesame way located below the surface of liquid L, and discharge fromnozzle 31 educts liquid from capillary tube 4, directing it towards theouter nozzle 21. Immediately in its path is the baffle 40. The liquid,impinging upon the bafile 40, is nebulized, or broken into tiny dropletsconstituting a fog or :mist, and the primary air, and secondary air thatmingles therewith, serves as a vehicle to convey such particles out atthe discharge end of the outer nozzle.

The eduction passage will ordinarily take the form of what, in this art,is usually termed a capillary tube. It can take other forms, and anynarrow passageway, within which liquid is caused to rise to the exit ofnozzle 31 by the eduction effect of primary air moving past such exit,is to be understood as included within the terms capillary tube oreduction passage, as such terms are used herein.

The separatr body just described is small, and if it were capable atbeing wholly separated from the base when parts must be cleaned it mighteasily be lost or damaged. To avoid this the separate body is connectedto the base in a manner that permits its removal for cleaning, butprecludes usual or accidental complete separation. To this end a ribbon41 of somewhat flexible plastic material is secured-for instancepivotally at 41a to the separate body, and is similarly secured at 4112to the base 3. The latter connection, or at least one of the twoconnections, can be disengaged by forcing the resiliently deformableplastic, but will not disengage accidentally. The ribbon 41 issutficiently stifi, and so curved, as to fit within the curve of thebase. The separate body 4, 40, 43 can be lifted from the inner nozzle31, yet the ribbon 41 retains it against complete separation from thebase.

The outer end of outer nozzle 21, and of its surrounding sleeve 11, havea closure cap 5 fitted to them, by means of which spilling of liquid isavoided while the nebulizer is being carried in a handbag or a pocket.This is a part that could easily be lost, so it is secured to thenebulizer in a manner similar to the securement of the body 4, 40, 43. Asomewhat flexible ribbon 50 of flexible plastic material is fixed to thecap 5, and at its opposite end it is anchored to the shell. A T-shapedstud 35 stands out from the periphery of the base 3, between spacedabutments 36. A head 51 on the end of the ribbon 50 is slotted, at 52,to fit the T-head of stud 35 when turned laterally, but the abutmentspreclude such turning unless intentional. The slot 52 permits the ribbonto move in the axial direction sufficiently to lift the cap 5 off theouter nozzle, or to reseat it thereon, and the rotatable mounting of theribbon about its stud 35,'even though limited, enables the cap to bepushed aside when the liquid is to be discharged. The limitedflexibility of the ribbon will prevent its getting in the way.

In order to locate the separate body 4, 40, 43 correctly rotationallyabout the inner nozzle 31, a rim 33 surrounding the nozzle 31 isinterrupted at 34, to receive a heel 44 of the separate body when thering 43 is pressed home upon nozzle 31. The closure cap 5 should bebeneath the outer nozzle 21 during usage of the nebulizer, and the heel44 in its notch 34 assures that the pick-up end of capillary tube 4 willbe lowermost, within the liquid L, when the nebulizer is held with thecap 5 below the nozzle 21.

I claim as my invention:

1. A nebulizer comprising an outer shell formed with an inwardlydirected sleeve at one end, an inner shell formed with a tube fittingwithin and spaced from the inner end of said sleeve to define asecondary air inlet, and constituting an outer nozzle, said inner shellflaring at the inner end of its tube to direct the inflowing secondaryair along the interior wall of the outer shell, a base removably securedto the outer shell, at its end opposite the sleeve, to define withinthat shell a liquid space, an inner nozzle carried by said base inalignment with and directed through said tube, said inner nozzle beingarranged, exteriorly of the base, for connection to a source of primaryair, and means, including an eduction passage communicating at one endwith the liquid space, located intermediate the inner and outer nozzles,for discharging a mist of such liquid, with a vehicle of primary andsecondary air, through the outer nozzle.

2. A nebulizer as in claim 1, the inner shell including a skirtprojecting towards the base from its flared periphery, to the vicinityof the eduction passage, but spaced from the interior wall of the outershell.

3. A nebulizer comprising an outer shell closed to define a liquidspace, and formed with a sleeve, an inner shell within said outer shelland formed with a tube fitting within said sleeve .and constituting anouter nozzle, means within the outer shell to pick up and discharge aliquid mist through said outer nozzle from the liquid space, said sleeveand tube including means complementally engageable by their relativeaxial movement to retain the tube and the inner shell of which it is apart interengaged and correctly positioned relative to said pick-up anddischarge means, but spaced apart throughout substantially their entireperipheral surfaces.

4. A nebulizer as in claim 3, wherein the inner wall of the sleeve isconstricted between its ends, the outer wall of the tube having a seriesof radial spacers angularly spaced about it, axial stop meansinterengageable between the tube and the sleeve to limit their relativeaxial movement, and the radial spacers being located axially relative tosaid axial stop means to move past the sleeves constriction just priorto interengagement of the axial stop means.

5. A nebulizer as in claim 3, wherein the tube projects fartheroutwardly than the surrounding sleeve, at their outer ends, the liquidpick-up and discharge means for the mist being directed outwardlyaxially of the tube.

6. A nebulizer comprising an outer shell and a removable basecooperating to define a liquid space, means opposite said base definingan outer nozzle for discharge of liquid from such space in the form of amist, an inner nozzle projecting into the interior of said shell fromthe base, and towards said outer nozzle, said inner nozzle beingarranged exteriorly of the base for connection to a source of primaryair, a separate body disposed interiorly of the shell, said separatebody comprising a capillary tube arranged at its pick-up end forcommunication with the liquid space and at its delivery end aligned withthe discharge from said inner nozzle, a baffle disposed intermediate thedelivery end of the capillary tube and said outer nozzle, a ring fittingabout the inner nozzle to position said separate body correctly relativeto the two nozzles and to the liquid space, and a flexible ribbonsecured at one end to said separate body and anchored at its other endto said base, whereby the ring of the separate body is removable fromthe inner nozzle, but the separate body remains tied to the base.

7. A nebulizer comprising an outer shell formed with a sleeve, butotherwise closed to define a liquid space, an inner shell Within saidouter shell and formed with a tube fitting within and spaced from saidsleeve, constituting an outer nozzle, means within the outer shell topick up liquid from the liquid space and to discharge it as a mistthrough said outer nozzle, a removable closure cap arranged to fit andclose the outer end of the sleeve and tube, a flexible ribboninterconnecting said closure cap and the outer shell, said ribbon beingslotted lengthwise at one end, and a stud at this end projecting fromthe member to which it connects, through said slot, to enable movementof the cap lengthwise of the sleeve and tube, for engagement therewithor disengagement therefrom.

8. A nebulizer as in claim 7, wherein the stud is T- headed, the T-headbeing disposed transversely of the ribbons slot, and abutments upon themember to which the ribbon connects, limiting rotation of the ribbonabout the stud, thereby preventing accidental disengagement of theribbon from the stud.

9. A nebulizer as in claim 8, wherein the ribbon is slotted at its enddistant from the closure cap, and wherein the T-shaped stud isoutstanding from the shell, in

position to be engaged with one end of the slot when the cap is fittedupon the outer nozzle, and with the other end thereof when the cap isremoved, the T-head of said stud being disposed in relation to theabutments to retain the ribbon unless the same is rotated angularlyabout the stud from its fitted-on position, beyond the amount ofrotation permitted by the abutments.

10. A nebulizer comprising an outer shell formed with a sleeve at oneend projecting both inwardly and outwardly of the shell, an inner shellformed with a tube spaced from but fitting within said sleeve by theirrelative axial movement, to define between them a secondary air inlet,said inner shell flaring within the outer shell to direct inflowingsecondary air along the interior wall of the outer shell, a baseremovably secured to and closing the outer shell, opposite its sleeve,and cooperating with the outer shell to define an interior liquid space,an inner nozzle projecting inwardly from the base towards the outernozzle, and arranged exteriorly of the base for connection to a sourceof primary air, a separate body within the outer shell, said separatebody comprising a locating ring surrounding the inner nozzle, acapillary tube opening at its pick-up end to the liquid space, and atits discharge end registering with the discharge from the inner nozzle,and a baflle supported intermediate the discharge end of the capillarytube and the outer nozzle, a flexible ribbon anchored at one end to theseparate body and at its other end to the base, a closure cap fittingupon the outer end of the outer nozzle, and a second flexible ribbonanchored at one end to said cap and at its other end to the base, and

arranged to permit axial removal and replacement of said closure cap,and its movement aside for use.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,289 12/1938Skoda 222522 2,192,020 2/ 1940 Stubler 222-522 2,726,896 12/1955McKinnon 239338 2,951,644 9/1960 Mahon et al 239-338 3,018,971 1/1962Cheney 239338 3,172,406 3/1965 Bird et a1. 128173 M. HENSON WOOD, JR.,Primary Examiner.

R. S. STROBEL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A NEBULIZER COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL FORMED WITH AN INWARDLYDIRECTED SLEEVE AT ONE END, AN INNER SHELL FORMED WITH A TUBE FITTINGWITHIN AND SPACED FROM THE INNER END OF SAID SLEEVE TO DEFINE ASECONDARY AIR INLET, AND CONSTITUTING AN OUTER NOZZLE, SAID INNER SHELLFLARING AT THE INNER END OF ITS TUBE TO DIRECT THE INFLOWING SECONDARYAIR ALONG THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE OUTER SHELL, A BASE REMOVABLY SECUREDTO THE OUTER SHELL, AT ITS END OPPOSITE THE SLEEVE, TO DEFINE WITHINTHAT SHELL A LIQUID SPACE, AN INNER NOZZLE CARRIED BY SAID BASE INALIGNMENT WITH AND DIRECTED THROUGH SAID TUBE, SAID INNER NOZZLE BEINGARRANGED, EXTERIORLY OF THE BASE, FOR CONNECTION TO A SOURCE OF PRIMARYAIR, AND MEANS, INCLUDING AN EDUCTION PASSAGE COMMUNICATING AT ONE ENDWITH THE LIQUID SPACE, LOCATED INTERMEDIATE THE INNER AND OUTER NOZZLES,FOR DISCHARGING A MIST OF SUCH LIQUID, WITH A VEHICLE OF PRIMARY ANDSECONDARY AIR, THROUGH THE OUTER NOZZLE.